Valve for fire-extinguishing systems.



C. H. TOWNSEND.

VALVE FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED MA YB. I918.

Patented Apr. 1,1919..

2 SHEETS-SHEET I I marker fiafzim) aI'Io'r/ne I m M We aw C. H. TOWNSEND.

VALVE FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6 1918.

1 fifific Patented Apr. 1, 1919,.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-' To all whom itmag concern:

for use in connection with fire extinguishing systems, and particularly tothat type orcharacter of valve which is automatically UNITED sr TEs PATENT I ornrcn.

CHARLES H. rownsnnn, or m ss, NEW YORK.

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. Townsnrm, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Yonkers, county of Westchester, State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Valves for Fire-Extin ishing Sys terns, of which the following 1s tion. c

. My invention relates to a valve adapted opened by the pressure of the water or a reduction of air pressure at. the proper time, andthe object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which will besimple-in construction and which will be absolutely positive .in operation.

A further object of this invention isto provide a valve of the above mentioned type which will. have its parts so arranged that they are at'all times convenient and accessible for regulation and adjustment. v

. These and other objects which may herein:

after appear are accomplished my invention, a more particular description of which will be hereinafter set'forth- Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of my improved valve mechanism,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the structure shown in Fig, 1, taken at right angles thereto, and,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of thearrows.

Throughout the varlous views of the drawings, similar reference characters designate similar parts.

In the preferred embodiment of my in vention as disclosed in the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates the valve casing which.

forms a chamber within it, and which is provided at its lower end with the water inlet pipe or opening 2, and at its upper' end with the outlet opening 3, through which the water passes to th'e'fire extinguishing system, after being admitted by the valve mechanism, to be described. The upper end of theinlet opening is provided with a suit-- able valve seat 35-to afford a water tight fit between it and the valve head. This inleta specificain its lowered positiomj It will thus be seen that the pressure of the a 4-, water on the lower face of the valve head or vALvE non. rmn-nxrmeursrmve svs'rnms.

pipe 2 is also provided with an opening 36 fora draw off valve and pipe for emptying the sprinkler system. It'is also adapted for use in determiningthe vigor of the water:

supply. r Extending transversely across the interior of the cas1ng 1 is a shaft 4, and this shaft 4 .is adapted to rotate about its longitudinal axis in bearings 5 and 6, secured in the walls of the casmg 1. The bearing 5 is provided with a recess 7 into which the end of the Patented Apr. 11, rare. Application filed May 6,1918. Seria1No. 232,784. I i

shaft l'extends, and within the recess 7 is a coll spr1ng 8 which bears against the. endof the shaft 4. Adjacent its other end, the

shaft 4 is provided with a conical head 9,

and this head 9- fits a complementary shaped ppening in the bearing 6 in which the shaft is mounted. It will thus be apparent that the pressure of the spring 8 tends to keep the head 9 tightenough in itsopening in the bear1ng6 to prevent water, which fills the casing 1, from entering into the chamber 10 containing a valve weight hereinafter re- I ferred to.

The valve head or clapper 11 is secured to saidshaft as at 13. The valve head or clapper 11 is provided at its marginal edge with a rubber ring 34 which affords a ,tight'fit between the valve head and its support when until it is manually closed will now be described.

I the shaft 4 by means of an'arm 12 keyed on.

One end of the shaft 4 extends into the p chamber 10, which forms an extension of the casing 1, and within the chamber 10 on the shaft 4 is fixed a segmental gear 1 1. This segmental gear 14 meshes with a segmental gear 15, loosely mounted on a stud shaft 16 j threaded into the wall of the chamber 10 as at 17. The gear 15 is held loosely on the shaft 16 by means of thev washer 18 and nut 19.

The segmental gear 15 is provided with an integrally formed weight 20 which extends and moves within the chamber 10. It will be seen that when the valve head or clapper '11 is in closed position over the inlet opening 2, the weight 20 is in its upright posileft, as viewed in the drawings, so that its tion, and when the valve head or. clapper 11 is swung open or away from the inlet opening, the weight is in its lowered position.

'When the weight 20 is in its upright posi;

tion with the valve closed, it is not exactly vertical, but leans at a slight angle to the W h aids in holding down the valve head uponitsseat; i

The extreme end of the shaft 4 projects outside of'the chamber 10, and is preferablysquare or shaped to fit a suitable tool. After the valve has opened, it is merely necessary to lower the same toits seat by removing the cap 22,- which covers the end '21 of the shaft, and engaging the end of said shaft with a suitable tool to oscillate the shaft and close the valve head or clapper 11 down upon the inlet opening 2, and thus correspondingly bring the weight 20 to its upright position.

Situated around the inlet opening 2 is a drain chamber 23. This chamber is pro-.-

vided with an opening 24, through which ater is adapted to flow when the valve head 11 is raised, to cause an electric alarm to Y notify a person in charge of the premises.

There are times, however, when the valve head 11 does not afford a perfect water tight fit upon the end of the inlet pipe 3, and consequentlyv slight drippingsenter the chamber 23. At the deepest point insaid chamber, which is adjacent the shaft 4. I.

provide a drain outlet opening 25, and this opening isprovidedwith a valve seat 26 adapted to receive a valve 27. This valve 27 is in the nature of a weight and-is provided with an car 28 to which is secured a lazy tongs 2.9, the-upper joint of the lazy tongs being secured onv a pin 30 extending from the wall of the drain chamber. The

lazy tongs are provided with projecting ends 31 so that the head or clappen 11 on its downward movement presses on these 21 to be drawn v end 31 and causes the valve up and ofi' its seat 26.

From the foregoing the operation of my 4 improved valve will be readily comprehendedposition, or the position shown in Fig. 1,.

a and the interiorof the casing l-is filled, or primed With water through the opening 37 in which a valve is mounted up to a point The valve plate 11 is placed in itsclosed must be sufficient ranc es properly no leakage Water will be observed to flow through the-drain opening 25 and the valve is ready 'for ope'rationin case of fire. I

Should a fire occur,-the

opening I of any sprinkler. head in. the

system allows the escape of-the air'underprcssure and thus the pressure ofj'thej air "on the-surface of the priming waterwithin' the casing 1 is thus reduced.f The'upward pressure of the water in the .inlet1zpipe ,1beneath the valve head'll causes the lifting of'this valve head, the chamber 23 thus fills with the result that the "entire for-cent the water exerted over the full area of the under side of the valve head 11, aided by the weight 120, swings it upward to its open position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and leaves a straight unobstructed passage for-the water to pass through to the sprinkler system.

As the valve head or clapper 11 swings upw'ardlyaway from its seat to the position shown'in dottcdlines inFig. 1, it consequently releases its pressure on the ends 31 of the lazy "tongs'29 and the valve 27 by reason of itsown weight, drops into position on its seat 26. thereby closing the drain opening 25. Water thus passes through the alarm opening 24 in the chamber 23 to cause the electric alarm hereinbefore referred to.

The weight 20 holds the valve 11 in its a open positionfand after the fire has been extinguished, audit is desired to close the valve, this is done by merely removing the cap 22 and rotating the-shaft 4 by its end 21 as heretofore referredto. is provided with a suitable cover or plate and the chamber '10 with a plate 33, allow The casing 1 ing an inspectiortof the parts whenever desired.

It is to ,be noted that the valve plate 11 when in its'closed position on'its seat is placed at an inclined position, or at an angle to the horizontal;

By this arrangement a rapid opening of the valve is produced as .the distance of travel or pivotin'g movement of the valve when opening is thus shortened;

From the foregoing, it is obvious that my invention is not limited to theexact embodi- Iment herein shown, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed-claims.

What I'claim is: 1 1 A device of the .class said casing, a valveadapted to cover said opening, a pivot for said valve, a gear on said pivot, a pivoted weight and a gear on said weight engaging the valve pivot gear.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a casing, an opening in the same, a valve for said opening, an oscillating shaft, means connecting said shaft with the valve, a' segmental gear on said shaft, a

described comrising a casing, an opening leading i t Weight and a segmental gear on said Weight engaging the segmental gear on said shaft.

3. A device of the class'described, having a casing, said casing being provided with an inlet opening, a valve adapted-to cover said opening, a rotatable shaft connected to end, said bearing havinga complementary,

seatfor said head, a segmental gear on said shaft, and a Weight having a segmental-gear adapted to engage the segmental gear on said shaft.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a casing having an inlet opening,

a valve adapted to be swung to and from said opening, said casing having a drain opening below the valve, a valve for 'sald drain opening, a lazy tongs for holding said valve, means, for causing the inletvalve to engage said lazy tongs and hold the drain valve elevated above its opening, and means for causing the drain valve to close the drain opening when the inlet valve is elevated;

5. A device of the class described, comprising a casing having "an inlet opening, a valve adapted to cover said opening and adapted to be swung to and from the same, said casing having a drain opening, a valve for said drain opening, a lazy tongs for supporting said drain valve above the drain opening, means for causing said valve to be held open while the inlet valve is closed and closed While the inlet valve is open.

6; A device of the class described, comprising a casing, said casing having an inlet opening, an inclined seat on said inlet opening, a pivoted valve adapted to rest on said seat, a gear on the valve pivot, and a pivoted Weight having a gear engaging the valve pivot gear.

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, this 19th day of April, 1918.

CHARLES H. TOWNSEND. 

